Improvement in presser-feet for sewing-machines



J. A. LAKIN.- Presser Foot for SeWing-IVI'flohinen No. 205,966. PatentedJuly 16, |878.

UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

JAMES A. LAKIN, OF WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN PRESSER-FEET FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

Specilication forming part of Letters Patent No. 205,966, dated July 16,1879; application filed January 10, 1878.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES A. LAKIN, of Westfield, in the State ofMassachusetts, have invented a new and useful Presser-Foot forSewing-Machines; and that the following is afull, clear, and exactdescription thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,making a part of this specification, and to the letters of referencemarked thereon.

My invention relates to a device for sewing an open seam so that the twoparts of thematerial which is sewed, when held apart or opened out, maybeheld together by the stitches formed, and yet may occupy a position inthe same plane, with their edges more or less distant from each other.

To this end my invention consists of a horizontal piece or foot,provided with a guidingedge on its upper and lower sides for guiding thework, a hole through it for the passage of the needle, an opening' orslot to permit the stitches to pass ont after being formed, and a shankby which to attach it to the presser-bar of a sewing-machine, all whichwill be more fully hereinafter described.

Figure I is a perspective view of my invention. Fig. II is a verticalsection of the same. Fig. III is a rear view, showing one modificationof the guiding edges or shoulders.- Fig. IV is a reverse plan view, andFig. V is front view, of my invention.

In the drawings, B represents the horizontal part of the device, and Arepresents the shank, by which it is attached to the ordinarypresser-bar of a sewing-machine by a setscrew turned into the shank andagainst the presser-bar, or by any of the well known means of attachingthe foot to the presserbar. The horizontal part B is provided with ahole, e, through which the needle passes, and an opening or slot, c',extends from this hole ont to the forward end of the horizontal part.

A vertical shoulder, c, extends along the under side of the part B, witha corresponding shoulder, c', extending along its upper side, both onthe same side of the hole e, and an opening, a, is made in the shank Aon the upper side of the horizontal part B, through which the upper partof the work passes as it is being sewed.

A spring, C, is attached to the shank A, and

extends along just above the upper side of the part B, which serves tohold the work iiat while being sewed; and this may be secured to theshank by a set-screw, and may be made adjustable nearer to or fartherfrom the upper side of the part B.

Instead of the shoulders c and c being made solid with the part B, theymay be made on another piece, so that they may be adjusted to anydesired distance from the hole e by a setscrew, as shown clearly in Fig.V.

The operation of the invention is as follows: The device being attachedto the presser-bar of any ordinary sewing-machine, the two parts of thefabric or work which is to be sewed are placed one part under thehorizontal part B and the other part above and beneath the spring C, andthe presser-bar is then dropped, so that the fabric beneath the part Bis in contact with the feed, and the work is then proceeded with as inthe ordinary manner, the horizontal part B, with its shank A, servingthe purpose of the ordinary presser-foot.- As the stitches are formed bythe needle passing down through the hole e, the two parts of the fabricbeing held apart by the thickness of the part B, the stitch es pass outthrough the opening c. When the sewing is nished the work will be foundto have long stitches, and if the sewing is done along the edge at theproper distance therefrom the two edges of the fabric will just meet,when the two parts of the material are opened ont or held apart, andwill both occupy a position in the same plane when laid flat. If thinmaterial is used or sewedin this manneigif the two parts are held apartor opened out, the stitches will show an ornamental open-work along itslength resembling insertiom for trimming garments 5 and this kind ofwork, by the use of this invention, may be varied to almost any desiredextent.

Leather whip-coverings may be sewed with this device, so that whenstretched upon the whip-handle the two edges of the leather will justmeet together, so that the seam, instead of forming a ridge, will beperfectly even with the exterior of the leather all around.

Instead of the spring C, a small roller may be attached in such mannerthat it may bear upon the work as it passes along on the horizontal partB. This spring or roller7 however,

may onlv be required to be used in sewing thin flexible work, as theheavier material, such as leather, would be suicientlY sti' and firm toremain Hat of itself.

I am aware that devices have heretofore been made to be attached tosewing-machines for accomplishingr similar Work, as shown in patent toA. L. Runipt', 1869, and others, and I do not claim the sameirrespective of my construction thereof ashereinbefore described.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is- 1. Thehorizontal piece B,provided with the guiding-shoulders c and c', theneedle-hole e, and the opening c', combined with the shank JAMES A.LAKIN.

\\'itnesses E. l). SMITH, C. K. LAMBsoN.

